Although extreme heat presents a much less visible threat to people that other natural disasters like fires, floods, and storms, it’s still every bit as much as deadly. And with much of the US and Europe caught in record setting heat waves, countries are struggling to find ways to help their residents cool off and stay safe, until we move into cooler months. Cities are facing particular challenges, as the nature of urban construction, with miles of reflective glass surrounding concrete and asphalt, results in a heat island effect that further accentuates the high temperatures, according to The Washington Post.
To try and help, cities around the world have tried a variety of methods both new and old, beginning with Miami-Dade County’s appointment of a chief heat officer in 2021, who was given the freedom to search for innovative solutions to the local heat challenges. Other cities have since created similar positions, with Athens and Santiago being among the earliest. Solutions so far have raised from the opening of heat shelters in Barcelona, covered markets in Freetown, and the increased integration of green spaces and forests into urban areas around the world. Athens has also worked with the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center to establish a set of four categories of heat waves, which will trigger different actions by the city in response, according to The Washington Post.
Source:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/08/28/cities-extreme-heat-adaptation-heat-officers/
